VESSEL REVIEW | Amor a Vida – Fast hybrid superyacht for year-round family use
Amor à Vida, a 67.55-metre (221.6-foot) fully custom displacement motor yacht built by CRN in Ancona, Italy, combines twin main diesel engines with shaftline electric motors, battery storage and an engine heat recovery system. Owner's representative Moran Yacht and Ship has described her as the first superyacht from the yard to use hybrid propulsion.
The yacht was ordered in October 2021, was launched in Ancona on January 23, 2025, and delivered to her owner in May 2025 after shipyard tests and trials. CRN scheduled her European debut just last September.
Naval architecture and engineering were undertaken by CRN and the Ferretti Group Superyachts Division engineering team. Nuvolari Lenard was responsible for exterior styling and interiors.
Moran Yacht and Ship supervised the project on the owner's behalf and said it wrote the technical specification. Siemens Energy collaborated on the hybrid installation.
Flexible propulsion arrangement ensuring reduced emissions
Sean Moran, managing director of Moran Yacht and Ship, said that the owner was someone who, “wants to travel the world... with family and friends.”
The Lloyd's Register-classed vessel has a steel hull and aluminium superstructure spread across six decks. She has a waterline length of 66.4 metres (218 feet), a beam of 11.5 metres (37.7 feet), a draught of only 3.25 metres (10.7 feet), and a gross tonnage of 1,447. Fuel capacity is 142,700 litres (31,390 gallons) and freshwater capacity is 36,000 litres (7,900 gallons). Accommodation is provided for 12 guests and 17 crewmembers.
Main propulsion comes from two MTU 12V4000 M63 IMO Tier III-compliant engines, each rated 1,500 kW (2,000 hp) at 1,800 rpm. Each shaftline also carries a Siemens Energy synchronous AC motor rated at 200 kW, 400 V, with PTO/PTI connections.
Electrical power is supplied by two Caterpillar C9.3 generators, each rated at 246 ekW. A Caterpillar C7.1 rated at 143 ekW serves as an emergency generator.
The yacht's project manager said that the installation also includes a 270kWh battery pack and supports several operating modes.
With the main engines running, the diesels can supply both propulsion and ship's services, and the batteries cover demand peaks so that additional generators need not be started. In diesel-electric mode, the main engines are stopped and the generators feed the batteries and shaft motors, giving a speed of about seven knots.
At anchor, the batteries can carry hotel loads with all combustion engines shut down. Surplus generation charges the batteries, and stored energy supplements the generators as demand rises.
The battery bank also allows silent harbour manoeuvring, three hours of silent dynamic positioning, or up to 12 hours of hotel load for swimming or overnight anchoring.
According to Moran, the hybrid arrangement was the owner's representative's proposal.
The project manager said sea trials yielded a top speed of nearly 17 knots and a cruising speed of 16.71 knots at 85 per cent MCR, which were higher than initial expectations. Range has been estimated to be around 5,200 nautical miles at 12 knots.
Engine waste heat is reused on board. The cooling water from the internal combustion engines passes through a heat exchanger with a secondary circuit. Most of the dissipated heat is recovered, and this is used to heat the swimming pool water and the ship's fresh water by feeding preheated water into the circuit.
The water used for deck washing and the boiler coils also benefit from the system. CRN said soundproofing and vibration-damping materials brought noise and vibration levels below the contractual limits.
Full electronics suite
The bridge is fitted with TEAM Italia's touchscreen integrated bridge system, together with a radar and an ECDIS. Stabilisation is by Naiad Dynamics.
Videoworks designed, integrated and commissioned the AV, IT and communications platform.
The company said AV and network hardware is centralised in dedicated technical racks, with video and audio distributed over an IP network and Crestron automation controlled from tablets and smartphones.
A dedicated electro-technical officer application handles equipment monitoring, remote diagnostics and reboots.
Connectivity brings together low-Earth-orbit satellite links, conventional VSAT and terrestrial 5G under an SD-WAN arrangement. Videoworks said internet speeds approach 1 Gbit/s in favourable conditions.
Global VoIP telephony is backed by Iridium. Security systems include intrusion prevention and detection, CCTV monitoring, and selected alarms relayed by UHF into the crew radio network.
Tender garage and other amenities
A full-beam garage in the bow houses an 8.6-metre (28-foot) IC Yachts limo tender capable of about 35 knots, as well as a 6.2-metre (20-foot) Ribeye crew and SOLAS tender and water toys. The Ribeye boat's hinged console can go through the garage doors while left unfolded. A Mag Bay 43CC chase boat with three Mercury outboards also accompanies the yacht.
The foredeck incorporates a touch-and-go helipad, though the owner does not intend to use it for helicopter operations. Aft, the transom door lowers flush into the bathing platform. Two side terraces open from the beach club to a massage room to port and a gym to starboard, and the gym sole is recessed to give additional headroom.
The main deck pool has a glass bottom that lets light pass through to the beach club directly underneath.
Amor à Vida is primarily for the owner's private use but is available for charter during selected periods. Moran Yacht and Ship markets her for summer charters in the Mediterranean and winter charters in the Caribbean.
